Learning to Grow Every Day

Wow! Where has the time gone? It is time to get back on the blogging train. This year, my students’ blogs will have more structure. There will still be a lot of choices, but, they will have to stick to a common thread or theme for at least a month at a time. The themes can an area of interest as long as they are able to connect it to an article, book, newspaper, or news story. There is so much value in connecting our writing to what we read and learn on a daily basis. Psychologist Angela Duckworth goes so far as to say that we can become better humans by reading more. She wrote, “We practice empathy when we lose ourselves in a good book…” (“Imagine That - Character Lab”). By placing ourselves in a story, whether real or imagined, it allows us to take on the pain, humor, and happiness of someone else. My first quarter theme is going to center around positivity, kindness, and how our mindset can lead to a more contented life. I will seek and open my eyes to the positive stories h...

This week, I participated in the book discussion for The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas. I was anxious about the discussion. It is often uncomfortable for me to have these kinds of discussions, or teach about topics such as slavery, without feeling the guilt or helplessness of being a white male. This book was designed to make the reader uncomfortable, and it is discomfort, along with the willingness to talk about it that made this whole "Read In" worthwhile. As a white male growing up in suburban Columbus, I was isolated from the racial tension that exists in our country, and it wasn’t until I got a little older that I understood that it doesn’t matter how I feel if there are individuals and groups of people who have been marginalized all along. I didn't know that young African Americans were taught on a daily basis how they should interact with police for their own safety. I never had to worry about that. However, ignorance is not an excuse. If we cannot acknowledge unc...

I recently came across a video of Alabama football coach Nick Saban giving a talk to a group of coaches. He said something that really stuck with me, stating, “They weren’t my guys for 3 years, 4 years, or 5 years. They’re my guys forever. And that’s the way we should all feel about what we do.” Although I may not always make the connections that I want with students and other faculty members, I can recognize the importance of it. I absolutely love when students want to talk to me in the morning or after school just because they want to. It would be an understatement to say that having students willing to share their thoughts, ask questions, and ask me about my day makes me a better teacher. There are so many lessons that I have learned from students, from how to work hard, deal with disappointment, and what really gets them engaged. As teachers, if we go into each day with the attitude that we are imparting knowledge on the students and we have nothing to learn from them, the...

There is a common saying that says, “work smarter, not harder.” I often find myself repeating this mantra to myself when I am spending too many hours on school work, whether planning or grading. Granted, I want others to think of me as a hard worker, who puts in many hours devoted to my teaching craft. However, it is so easy to go overboard because we associate long hours with hard work. What if we could do a simpler task or create a more efficient plan that would accomplish the same goal? I frequently find that the more simple lessons that I plan wind up being the most interactive, engaging, and thought-provoking, and it leaves me wondering why I spent so much mental energy and time planning a more complex lesson. This same idea applies to assistive technology in the classroom. When it comes to reading, writing, grading, and editing there are many tools at our disposal. From Read and Write Gold to Speech to Text, we have so many valuable tools that would make our lives easier. I ...

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. There are so many reasons for this, whether it is the savory cuisine placed before us every year, or the chance to reconnect with family, it offers an unhurried reflection of life not seen in some other holidays. My wife and I have been traveling to my grandmother’s house in Florida every year since college for Thanksgiving. Now that we have our two children, it is even more special. We have the opportunity to basque in the Florida sunshine, swim in her pool, enjoy a Thanksgiving feast at her country club, and I always get at least one round of golf in with her. I cherish these moments with my family, and especially my grandmother. Even at 87 years old, she is playing golf 3 days a week and filling the remainder of her time on other pursuits. As sad as it is to say, it won’t always be this way. I am so grateful for having these moments with her now. And yes, it helps to be in Florida for this celebration every year, but there i...

The prompt I gave my English 12 classes for their end of unit assessment for Wonder was, how has this book changed or enlarged their thinking? Most students admitted to this book being very thought-provoking and moving in many ways. Many lessons can be gleaned from this beautiful novel, including not being quick to judge, being intentional about kindness, the importance of perspective, or even the seriousness of bullying in our schools. However, I equate this to hearing a rousing sermon in church or making a new years resolution; if we do not actually act on our convictions and our immediate passions and make them a habit they won’t stick. Wonder is a truly inspiring book, which has enlarged all of our thinking about how we treat people and how we judge people. We have a very divisive world, in particular in the political arena at the moment. Judging people quickly, not considering their perspective, not choosing kindness, and not standing up to bullying in the adult world is hav...

Teaching and connecting with students is one of my life’s passions. If I could teach five days a week all year and eliminate grading I would. There are always going to be aspects of our jobs or daily lives that we don’t like doing. However, they are necessary for the job. Giving your best effort no matter what the task is so important. I put everything I have into grading, even though it isn’t my favorite thing to do. I would much rather be planning how I’m going to connect with my students the next day. However, I often hear students saying that assignments are pointless or that they have senioritis, and they do not want to do an assignment. I see that as ingratitude for the opportunity you have been given, the opportunity to learn and grow as a person. Education is an incredible gift that we take for granted in the United States. Being able to teach in a job that allows me the freedom with my curriculum and the privilege of pouring into students on a daily basis is something that I s...